New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says jobs, economy will be his focus for next six months

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that he’ll focus his attention for the next six months on invigorating the state’s economy, including an international ad campaign that he said will rival the iconic I Love New York ads that began decades ago.

The top goal, he said, is “Jobs, jobs, jobs.”

He is coming off a string of political wins in his first half-year in office and used Tuesday to lay out goals for the coming months. The press conference followed a spring in which he brought in a state budget on time, reduced spending and scored major policy wins with a property tax cap and the legalization of gay marriage.

Cuomo said the international ad campaign will be aimed at tourists as well as CEOs and is designed to show why New York state is again a good place to do business. It’s part of his “New York is Open for Business” endeavor that will include making 10 regions across the state compete for economic development funding that could be used to attract companies and grow and retain jobs.

Cuomo also said he and his cabinet will be on the road for much of the next six months, temporarily relocating state government for a day or two at a time. He said the goal will be to fix local problems on the ground and cut through red tape.

He said the fiscal correction by himself and the Legislature this year along with policy wins including a cap on the growth of property taxes and a gay marriage law have given New Yorkers a sense that their government is competent again.

He said he will try to capitalize on this sense of optimism he sees to continue New York on a “more positive trajectory” than has been seen in years.